UPMC Worker Who Flunked Drug Test Advances Bias Claims to Trial

A jury must decide if UPMC Pinnacle Hospitals fired an imaging manager because of his bad back and treatment needs or his positive drug test after revealing he ate a gummy, a federal judge ruled.

The nonprofit presented nondiscriminatory and nonretaliatory reasons for terminating David Rheem, the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said.

Rheem put his feet on a counter during a meeting with subordinates, mentioned he’d eaten a gummy and discussed obtaining medical-grade THC gummies, appeared lethargic and over-medicated, and stated he didn’t want to get a medical-marijuana prescription because that might require surrendering his ...